Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps are a super easy and quick meal that I really love. They’re great for a light lunch, a filling dinner, or even as a fun snack when friends come over.
They taste great, are good for you, and are surprisingly simple to make. They’re also a good way to use any leftover chicken you might have!
Recipe Overview
This dish is all about mixing savory and crunchy tastes. Small pieces of chicken are covered in a yummy sauce that’s a little sweet and tangy. Then, we mix in crunchy cashews and water chestnuts.
We serve it all in crisp lettuce cups, which makes it a lighter and healthier option than regular takeout.
It’s perfect for busy weeknights because it’s so quick to make. Imagine fresh, tasty, and satisfying!
We usually eat these as our main meal, but they’re also great as an appetizer for a party or to bring to a potluck.
Ingredients for Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup of onion, chopped really small
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped really small
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced (crushed into tiny pieces)
- 1/4 cup of soy sauce (the kind with less salt is better)
- 2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (if you want it a little spicy)
- 1 (8-ounce) can of water chestnuts, drained and chopped
- 1/2 cup of roasted, unsalted cashews, chopped
- 1 head of butter lettuce, with the leaves separated and washed
- Optional: chopped green onions, sesame seeds for topping
Ingredient Notes:
- Chicken: You can use chicken that’s already cooked, like from a rotisserie chicken, to save time. Just shred it and add it to the sauce.
- Soy Sauce: Using soy sauce with less salt helps keep the dish from being too salty.
- Hoisin Sauce: This gives a rich, sweet, and savory taste. You can find it in the Asian food section of most stores.
- Rice Vinegar: Adds a little bit of tang. If you don’t have it, you can use apple cider vinegar.
- Cashews: Roasted and unsalted cashews taste the best and give a good crunch.
- Lettuce: Butter lettuce is best because the leaves are soft and bendy, but you can also use romaine or iceberg lettuce.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cook the Chicken: If you’re using raw chicken, heat the olive oil in a big pan or wok on medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring now and then, until it’s cooked all the way and a little brown. This should take about 5-7 minutes.
- Cook the Veggies: Add the chopped onion and bell pepper to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until they get soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute, until it smells good. Don’t burn the garlic!
- Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, honey, ground ginger, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes (if you’re using them).
- Mix Everything: Pour the sauce over the chicken and veggies in the pan. Stir it all up so everything is covered.
- Add Water Chestnuts and Cashews: Add the drained and chopped water chestnuts and the chopped cashews to the pan. Stir it all together.
- Simmer: Let it all simmer for 2-3 minutes. This lets the sauce get a little thicker and the flavors mix together. The chicken should be nicely covered in the sauce.
- Serve: Carefully put the chicken mixture into the lettuce cups.
- Add Toppings: If you want, add chopped green onions and sesame seeds on top.
- Enjoy: Eat it right away! The lettuce wraps are best when they’re fresh.
Variations & Tips
- Make it Spicier: Add more red pepper flakes or a little bit of cayenne pepper for extra spice.
- Make it Vegetarian: Instead of chicken, use firm tofu. Crumble it and cook it in a pan until it’s golden brown.
- Add More Veggies: You can add other veggies like shredded carrots, sliced mushrooms, or chopped zucchini.
- Make-Ahead: You can cook the chicken and veggies ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Storage: Keep any leftover chicken mixture in a sealed container in the fridge.
- Reheating: Warm up the chicken mixture gently in a pan or microwave. It’s best to put the lettuce cups together right before you eat.
- Serving suggestion: You can have little bowls of different toppings so everyone can make their wraps just how they like them.
Key Details for Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 15 minutes
- Total time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 4-6
- Stuff you’ll need: Big pan or wok, small bowl, cutting board, knife
FAQ
Can I use ground chicken?
Yes! Ground chicken is fine for this recipe. Just make sure it’s cooked all the way before you add the other stuff.
What if I don’t have hoisin sauce?
If you don’t have hoisin sauce, you can mix soy sauce, a little honey or brown sugar, and a bit of Chinese five-spice powder. It won’t taste exactly the same, but it will be close.
How do I keep the lettuce cups from ripping?
Use butter lettuce if you can, because the leaves bend easier. Also, don’t put too much filling in the cups. You can use two lettuce leaves together for extra strength.
Can I make this without gluten?
Yes, just use gluten-free soy sauce (tamari) and check the hoisin sauce label to make sure it’s also gluten-free.
Can I use other nuts?
Sure! Peanuts or almonds would also taste good in this. Just make sure they’re roasted and unsalted.
Is it possible to serve this with rice?
Yes. You can serve this chicken with white or brown rice instead of lettuce.
Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup of onion chopped really small
- 1 red bell pepper chopped really small
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1/4 cup of soy sauce low sodium
- 2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes optional
- 1 8-ounce can of water chestnuts, drained and chopped
- 1/2 cup of roasted unsalted cashews, chopped
- 1 head of butter lettuce leaves separated and washed
- Optional: chopped green onions sesame seeds for topping
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add chopped onion and bell pepper to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, honey, ground ginger, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes (if using).
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables in the pan, stirring to coat.
- Add drained and chopped water chestnuts and chopped cashews to the pan and stir to combine.
- Simmer for 2-3 minutes to thicken the sauce and allow flavors to meld.
- Spoon the chicken mixture into lettuce cups.
- Optionally, garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!